Continuous wire fabric welder and method



Nov. 8, 1949 w. s. SOUTHWICK 2,437,392

\ CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD Filed Feb. '7, 1948 ll Sheets-Sheet 1 i mun V /E/VTO/? WILLIAM S. SourHwncK ATITOR/VEV Nov. 8, 1949 w. SJSOUTHWKCK 2,437,392

CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD Filed Feb. 7, 1948 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR f J AMM S SowHw/ K QTTOR'IVEV NOV. 8, 1949 s, SOUTHWICK 2,487,392

CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD Filed Feb. '7, 1948 ll Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOE. M/lLL/AH- SourHu/MK 7'TORNEV NW0 3,, 1949 w. s. SQUTHWICK 2,437,392

CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD Filed. Feb. 7, 1948 ll Sheets-Sheet 4- INVENTOR WILLIAM 5 SOUTH wll 5v W ATTORNEV 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 GNU ag! MR 4 2 INVENTOR. \JIL IA 5, SourHw/ K I mg Nov. 8, 1949 w. s. SOUTHWICK CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD Filed Feb. 7, 1948 NQV. 8, 1949 5 sou w c v 2,4873%? CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD Filed Feb. '7, 1948 ll ShetsSheet '7 JNVENTOR. E20 v mu S BY g ATTORNEH 1949 w. s. SOUTHWICK 2,487,392

CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD ll Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Feb. '7, 1948 Egijfi Iii j \KZ LU U INVENTOR WI LLIAM S. gavrH l' k ATTORNEY Nov. 8, 1949 w. s. SOUTHWICK CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDEH, AND METHOD ll Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Feb. '7, 1948 HVVENTOR WILLIAM SSouIHb/(CK 5v FITTOR/VEV NOV. 8, 1949 w. 5, sou w c 2,487,392

CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD Filed Feb. '7, 1948 ll Sheets-Sheet 10 HTTORNEV NOV. 8, 1949 w 5 sOUTHWICK 2,487,392

CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS WIRE FABRIC WELDER AND METHOD ApplicationF-ebruary 7, 1948, Serial No. 7,008

13 Claims.

1 My invention relates to a continuous wire fabric welder and to a method in which both the strand wires and the stay wires are automatically fed from coils and the wires electrically welded at their crossings. An object is to form the fabric at a greater speed than heretofore. Another obiect is to feed sets of at least three or more stay wires into the machine, out the wires and feed the cut wires with the strand wires continuously to the welding point. Another object is to weld the stay wires to the strand wires by pairs of electrode discs which are free to rotate and are in engagement with and are rotated by the strand wires. Another object is to so guide the strand wires and the stay wires that they are kept straight in the machine. Another object is to form the welded fabric alternately into rolls of a predetermined length.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the forward part of the machine;

Fig. 1a is a side elevation of the rear part of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the forward part of the machine;

Fig. 2a is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a cross section of the machine on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of another cross section of the machine on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail of a staywire cutter;

Fig. 6 is a View on the line 6-45 Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view onthe line 1-! Fig.4;

Fig. 8 is a view on the line -8-8 Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is i3, view in elevation-of the stay wire feed wheels;

Fig. 10 is a view in elevation Of the welding wheels;

Fig. 11 is a side-view of the splitter;

Fig. 12 is anend view of the same;

Fig. 13 is an end view of a trimmer;

Fig. 14 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 15 is a detail of the rear part of Fig. 1a and a diagrammatical view of the strand wire cutter;

Fig. .5a is a diagr-ammatical view of the windup rolls and deflector'plate;

Fig. 16 is a side viewof the mechanism operating the defiectorplate;

Fig. 17 is an end view of the same;

Fig. 18 is a side view of a wind-up roll mechanism; and

Fig. 19 is an end view of the same.

The strand wires A, Fig. 1, are drawn from 7 Figs. 1 and 2, near the delivery end of the macoils, not shown, and after passing under a roll Lil A2 at the front of the machine they pass through wire straighteners A4, which take out the kinks, and around wheels A3 each of which has a groove in which the wire passes around the wheel one or more times. The wheels are driven a little faster than the welded fabric is pulled by the draw wheels Fig. 1a, at the delivery end of the machine, whereby the tension on the wires is reduced.

Each wire is delivered into a tube A6, Fig. 2, which keeps the wire straight. Every other link of a chain Al, Fig. 1, is provided with a projection A5, between successive ones of which a stay wire is deposited. Each chain is driven from a sprocket wheel Al fast on a driven cross shaft A8,

chine and pass under idler sprockets and over a guide sprocket A9 at the front of the machine.

Six stay wires B, Figs. 2 and 3, are fed in simultaneously from coils, not shown, through straighteners Bl. Each wire is gripped between an upper and a lower ring, 132, B3. The rings are fastened to toothed wheels which loosely mesh with each other. Clutched to the upper wheel is a pinion B4 with which meshes a vertical rack B5 sliding in suitable guides. The rack is operated by a crank arm B6 on a, shaft Bl, Figs. 1 and 3, and, as the crank arm moves from bottom to top, it raises the rack and turns the ring B2 and by means of the toothed wheels the ring B3 to deliver a length of a stay wire. Just before the crank arm reaches top center, the ring 133 is lowered by a cam B30, Fig. 9, to disengage the ring B3 from the wire. The toothed wheel B3], to which the ring B3 is fastened, is mounted .on a shaft B32 which is mounted in bearings B33 at the end of bell crank lever B34 pivoted to brackets on the frame. The end of the other arm of the lever carries roller B35 which is engaged by the cam B fast on the shaft B36. The lower wheel and ring are raised by a spring B31 soon after the crank arm B6 passes top center. As the crank arm moves from top to bottom it draws down the rack B5 but, as the rack operates on a one-way clutch connected to the ring B2, the downward movement of the rack does not turn the rings.

As the rack B5 moves down, another crank arm B'ol on the shaft Bl turns from bottom to top and lifts another rack BS2, Fig. 1, similar to B5, which, through another one-way clutch, turns a pinion B63 and rings B2 and B3 to insert another length of the same wire into the machine.

There are six sets of stay wire feeding rings and toothed wheels Fig. 1, all of which are operated by the above described mechanism to feed in a set of six wires simultaneously. The wires are spaced apart in the machine, shown, by 10 inches from the first to the second, 17 inches from the second to the third, 10 inches from the third to the fourth, 10 inche from the fourth to the fifth and 17% inches from the fifth to the sixth to space the stay wires 2 inches apart, as they enter the welding wheel, hereinafter described.

Inasmuch as each of the several mechanisms for the insertion of the stay wires occupies so much space, it is necessary that they be spaced from one another further apart than the distance equal to the mesh length between adjacent stay wires of the finished fabric.

In the machine shown in the drawings, there are six such mechanisms and the distances from the first to the second, from the second to the third, from the third to the fourth, from the fourth to the fifth and from he fifth to the sixth are equal to 4, '7, 4, 4 and 7 mesh lengths, respectively. In this arrangement sets of six stay wires are inserted consecutively as the fabric is made.

It will be noted that the distances in mesh lengths from the first point of insertion to the second point, from the first to the third, from the first to the fourth, from the first to the fifth and from the first to the sixth are equal to 4 (i. e. 6 x plus 4), 11 (i. e. 6 x 1 plus (i. e. 6 X 2 plus 3),19 (i. e. 6 x 3 plus 1) and 26 (i. e. 6 X 4 plus 2) respectively. Thus the distances from the first point to any of the succeeding points, regardless of order, are equal to multiples of 6 plus any number from 1 through 5 without the repetition of any number.

Stated generally, the distances in mesh lengths from the first point to succeeding points of simultaneous stay wire insertions are equal, re-

gardless of order, to multiples of the number of insertions plus any number, without repetition thereof, from 1 to the number of insertions minus 1 inclusive.

Each stay wire is cut as soon as it has been fed into the machine. A stay wire cutter, Figs. 4 and 5, consists of a movable top blade Cl and a lower stationary cutter C20. The top blade Cl, Fig. 6 is on the lower end of a vertical bar which is operated by a crank arm C3 on a rock shaft C4, extending crosswise of the machine. The shaft C4 is rocked by an arm C5, Fig. l, operated by a rod C6 pivoted to a lever C! which is pivoted to a stud C8 on the frame. On one arm of the lever C1 is a roller CH which is operated by a cam C9 on a shaft Cl2, Fig. 1. A cam Cl3, Fig. 3, on shaft CI2, operateson a roller Cl4 on another arm of the lever Cl, which rocks the lever in the reverse direction to move the rod C6, Fig. 1, forward and rock the shaft C4 to lift the cutter Cl, Fig. 4. The lower stationary cutter, Fig. 5, is a plug C which is screwed into a bracket C2i attached to a girt C22, Fig. 4, on the frame so that the plug may be adjusted lengthwise of the wire B.

Each stay wire B is inserted into a tube Dl, Figs. 2 and 4, which guides it into the stationary cutter, from which it passes into a square groove or channel D2 in the bottom of the girt or cross member C22, Figs. 2, '7 and 8, extending across the machine. The wire is held in the groove by a gate D3, Fig. 8. The wire is pushed out of the groove by a pusher D4, Fig. '7, which moves in a slot in the girt C22. The pusher has an upward extension D5 which is pushed down by an arm to which it is pivoted, the arm being fast on the rock shaft C4. As the pusher descends, a roller D6, Fig. 8, on the end of a bar DBI pivoted to an arm fast on shaft C4, rocks a lever D1 pivoted at D8 on a casting attached to the girt C22, thereby withdrawing the gate D3 from beneath the'groove D2. After the wire has been pushed from the groove D2 clear of the gate D3, the pusher, Fig. '7, pushes the wire into avshaped opening, one wall of which is the end of stationary bar D81 and the other wall D9 of which is movable, the latter being pivoted at D9l on a casting attached to the girt C22. Both the bar D8l and the wall D9 are located laterally between the projections A5 on the chains. As the wire is pushed down, it, pushes against the movable wall D9, which is held by a spring D93 which yields to let the wire pass. The wire is pushed down between the projections on the chains Al and, as soon as the wire passes the movable walls D9, they close to prevent the wire from rising up and hold it in the enclosure Dl0, and the roller D6, Fig. 8 ascends and the spring D92 closes the gate D3.

In order to prevent a stay wire from turning and moving lengthwise out of place, the wire rests at intervals on bars D20, Fig. 4 which are attached to the chain supporting bars D2l which extend lengthwise of the machine. On top of the wires at intervals rest short bars D22 which lie between the cross girts C22. The bars D22, located preferably midway between the bars D20, are held from movement lengthwise and sidewise, but are free to move vertically. These bars D22 press the wires against the bars D20 thereby preventing the wires from turning and holding them in place'lengthwise so that they may be properly welded to the strand wires.

As the chains approach the welding wheels E and El, Figs. 1 and 10, the stay wires are carried against latches F, Fig. 10, which are pivoted on brackets fixed to lengthwise bars F3 attached to a girt C22 and suitably to the frame. Each latch is held against a wire by a spring Fl. The movement of the chains causes the latches to carry the wire back against the next projections on the chains thereby accurately locating the wire for the welding operation which next occurs. As the chains advance, the Wire lifts the latches against the tension of the springs Fl which yield to let the wire pass.

For each strand wire there is a pair of welding wheels or discs E and El which are free to rotate and are driven by a strand wire. The current from the secondary leg E20 of a transformer passes into the lower wheel, through a crossing of a strand wire and of a stay wire, .to the upper wheel of a pair, through arm El l Fig. 10, through a flexible connection (not shown) to the adjacent arm El I, then to and through the upper wheel of the next pair, through the adjacent crossing of two wires and then into the lower wheel of the latter pair, from which it completes the circuit to the other secondary leg of the transformer.

The various electrically conducting parts are suitably insulated from the remainder of the machine. As this type of insulation is old and well known in the art, it need not be described here.

Each weld is completedin one to three cycles of a Gil-cycle alternating current. The current is caused to flow through the primaries of the transformers by an electric eye device which comprises a rotating disc G on the shaft A8, Fig. l. The disc has openings which register in succession with the beam of the electric eye. When thebea'm passes through an'opening, it operates an electronic device which starts the current in the primaries and cuts it off at the end of the desired period. As the electric eye and the electronic device are well known and not part of my invention, no further description of them is necessary.

' The upper welding wheel E, Fig. 10, is pressed against the lower wheel El to provide the necessary weldin pressure. The wheel E has a central stud EIO projecting on each side of the wheel, which stud is rotatably mounted in a bearing E13 which is carried on one end of the arm of a lever Ell which is pressed by a spring El2 to press the upper wheel against the lower wheel with the welding pressure.

The latches F, Fig. 10, hold the wire against the projections on the chains as the welding starts.

After the fabric is formed by the welding of the crossings of the wires, it is drawn onward by wheels I-I, Fig. 1a, which have projections which engage the stay wires and which pull the strand wires slightly faster than the speed of the chains Al so that, as the chains pass over the sprockets of the wheels AT, the projections A5 on the chains will clear the stay wires and allow for possible stretch of the chains.

When desired, the fabric is split by cutters, Figs. 1a, 11 and 12. A pair of rotary disc cutters KI and K2 are mounted on a shaft. Each cutter cuts a stay wire against cutter wheels K3 to which are attached wheels having projections shaped to enter the successive spaces between the stay wires, thereby turning the cutter wheels K3.

The cuts of the stay wires are made close to the strand wires.

If it is not desired to split the fabric, the cutters are removed from the machine.

The protruding ends of the stay wires on each side of the fabric are trimmed flush with the edge strand wires on an angle of about 60 to the fabric by rotary cutters Ll, one on each side of the machine, Figs. 1a, 13 and 14. The edge strand-wire is supported by an anvil in the form stub shafts L6 and L1, so as to cut the projecting ends of the stay wires at an angle of about When the fabric is split, similar trimmers are mounted on the machine, to trim the protruding ends of the wires where the fabric has been split.

The fabric then passes under a roller M, Fig.

1a, which has crimping devices in its surface which put crimps or bends into the strand wires, Fig. 2a. Thence it passes over a roller MI and between rollers Pi and P2.

The main shaft S, Fig. 1a, has a gear SI driven A pinion S8, Fig. 2a, fast on the shaft S, drives a large idler gear S9, which drives a gear on the shaft SH], Fig. 1a, to which are attached the toothed wheels H which draw the welded fabric through the machine. The above gear on the 6 shaft Sill drives a gear on the shaft to which the crimping roller M is attached.

The shaft S, through bevel gearing, Fig. 3, drives a shaft S20, Figs. 1 and 3, to which is attached a pinion which drives a gear attached to the shaft B1. For each half rotation of the shaft E1, the fabric is advanced six meshes, that is, the wheel H is turned to advance the teeth six spaces.

To the shaft S20 is attached a gear S2l, Fig. 1, which meshes with a gear S22 fast on shaft B36, Figs. 1 and 9. The cams B30, which lower the lower wheels B3 of the stay wire inserting means, are fast on shaft B36.

In the machine shown the fabric is made at the rate of several, such as 70, feet a minute, and it is desirable to roll the welded fabric into rolls of feet, first into one wind-up roll and then into another such roll, without stopping the machine. This requires that after a length of welded fabric has been formed the fabric should be cut, a roll completed and the fabric diverted to be made into another roll.

The welded fabric passes over a roll Ml, Figs.

I la and 15, to the nip of a pair of pinch rolls PI and P2. PI is fast on a shaft journalled in brackets on the frame. P2 is mounted in a bearing which is urged by a spring to press the roll P2 against the roll PI. The shaft to which the roll Pl is fast has a pulley P3 driven by a belt P4 on a pulley P5 fast on the shaft S50.

An idler pulley P6 controls the tension of the belt P4. The pulley P6 is mounted on a stud on an arm P1 pivoted to a bracket on the frame. At the outer end of the arm is pivoted a link P8 pivoted at its lower end to a shaft M2 mounted in the ends of arms Pl 0 fast to shaft Pl I mounted in brackets on each side of the frame. The welded fabric passes under roller M3, on the shaft M2. When the feed of the pinch rolls is faster than the feed of the fabric, the latter lifts the roller M3 and the idler pulley P6 to relax the tension in the belt which then slips on the pulley P3.

From the pinch rolls the fabric passes to a cutter which has a lower stationary blade P20 and a movable upper blade P2 l, which moves up and down in uides. The lower cutting edge of the upper blade is inclined slightly so as to cut the strand wires in succession from side to side. The blade is lifted and lowered vertically by mechanism operated from a shaft which may be clutched to a shaft driven by an electric motor. As such a mechanism is well known and is not of my invention, I need not further describe it. The shaft SH], Fig. 1a, on which the toothed wheels H are fast, which draws the welded fabric through the machine, drives a countin device (not shown) which, on a predetermined number of meshes of the fabric, such as to give about 150 feet, closes an electric circuit which operates to throw in the clutch on the main shaft of the cutter and therebycauses the upper blade of the cutter to make one vertical reciprocation when the clutch is automatically unclutched. As this mechanism is well known and not of my invention it need not be further described.

The welded fabric passes the cutter station and is guided to either one of two wind-up rolls WI and W2, Fig. 15a. Whether it goes to one or the other of these rolls depends on the angular position of the deflector-plate W3 pivoted at the end of brackets attached to the stand P19, Fig. 15, on which the fabric cutting mechanism is mounted. When the forward edge of the plate W3 is down, the fabric goes over the plate to sea-mes 7' WI, and. when it is up, the fabric is: defiected below the plate and goes to the roll W2.- To the forward edge of the. plate is pivoted a W4 the lower. end of which is pivoted to the. end of an arm W5, Figs. 16: and. 17, pivoted on a stud shaft W6. Attached to the hub. of the arm W is a disc WT. This disc has two notches 8 in its periphery diametrically opposite to one another. A spring pressed latch W8I is adapted to engage these notches and to hold the disc yieldingly in one of two positions.

In the position shown in. Figs. 16 and. 17, the link W4- is down, and the fabric passes over the plate W3. Loose on the shaft W6 is an. arm WIII to the end of which is pivoted a pawl WI I, the end of which is pressed against the disc W? by a spring W82 acting against a projection on the arm WI ii. The end of the pawl is adapted to enter notches WII and. W'I-2 in the periphery of the disc WT. Attached to the hub of arm WW is a pinion WI5, with which. meshes av rack WIS which moves up and down in slides and is operated by a connection to the upper blade P2'I, Fig. 15, of the fabric cutter. In the position of the parts, shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the blade PZ'I has completed its downward or cutting stroke. As it rises, the rack WI 6 turns the pinion WI5 and the arm Wm carrying the pawl WII anti-clockwise, Fig. 16, whereby the pawl WI I, engaging the notch W'II of the disc W'I, turns the disc anti-clockwise 180 and with it the arm W5 which raises the link W4 to tip the forward edge of the plate W3 up. This deflects the fabric under the plate W3 and directs it to the wind-up roll W2.

The machine continues torun until the counter causes the upper blade PZI to descend to out. the fabric. Then the rack WIS moves down and turns the pinion WI5 clockwise, Fig. 1.6, to the turn the arm WU) clockwise 180 in which position the pawl Wi- I engages the notch W12 in the disc Wl', the notch W12 having rotated 180 anti-clockwise to the position of notch W'Il. shown in Fig. 16. Then, when the cutter blade P2! rises, the rack Wit turns the pinion WIS anti-clockwise and with it the arm WI!) and pawl WII to rotate the disc W1 180. This rotates the arm W5 180 from pointing upward to pointing downward and lowers the link W4 to lower the forward edge of the plate W3 thereby causing the fabric to pass over the plate and go to the wind-up roll WI.

When the blade PM of the fabric cutter descends it stops the flow of the fabric until it rises. During this time, which is short, the fabric, held back by the blade, bulges upward, Fig. 15, as the pinch rolls continue to feed it onward. As soon as the blade rises the fabric straightens due to its resiliency, and resumes its progress to one of the wind-up rolls.

The wind-up operation is performed as follows, Figs. 18 and 19:

Each wind-up roll is made with a diametrical slot RI into which the end of the fabric is to be inserted. The end of the slot is closed by a plate R2 attached to the halves of the roll to prevent the fabric from going through. When the wind-up roll is stationary, it is held in that posi- 'tion by a brake-shoe R3 which is pressed against the. rim of a wheel fast on the shaft of the windup roll by a spring R4 which acts against a lever B5 on which the brake-shoe is mounted. The lever R5 is. released by the operator from a latch R6 which is operated by a solenoid R1 when the operator presses a button to energize the solenoidg. At the same: time the belt at which drives the. wind-up roll is relieved of. tension by the raising of an idler roller R9 which bears. against the belt; and is maintained. onthe end. of a. lever R10 pivoted on: a stud: on the frame work of the: machine. The lever RID is connected to the lever R5 by a link RII so that when the brake.- shoeis. applied. the lever RH} is raised. and the idlerroller R9 is. lifted to relieve the tension. on the driving. belt; R8, so that the rotationv of the wind-up: roll is: stopped by the brake-shoe;

When the. wind-up rollis. stopped, the operator ties up the roll. of fabric so that it will not fly apart. He then draws off the roll of fabric endwise from the wind-up roll. In order to draw off the fabric end-wise, he first swings out of the way the bearing on which the. half studs on thewind-up roll are mounted, such half studs being fastened each to one half of the windenp, roll. After removing; the roll of fabric from the wind-up.- roll, the operator swings back the; bearing to support the half studs.

operator sees that the wind-up roll is stopped in a position. in. which the slot RI- faces the direction of the approach of the fabric. The fabric approaches; over a table R12- and is guided into the slot in the wind-up roll by. a guide plate RI3 which extends across. the machine and is fastened to levers RM which are. fastened to a rock shaft RI5 on the end of uprights on the frame. The levers R14- are held in raised position by a latch. RIG which is attached to a spring arm R11 fastened at its. lower end to: the frame and engages 2. lug on. the levers RIQ. The operator lowers the levers RI 3 by moving the spring arm to disengage the latch and moves the levers downward. until a stop Bill on one of the levers contacts with -a boss RI 9 on the frame whereby the. guide plate RH! is so positioned. so as to guide the fabric into the slot in the. wind-up roll.

After the fabric has entered the slot, the operatcr raises the levers RI 4" so that the guide plate Rid is: a. short distance. above itslowest position, so that the fabric is guided towards the top of the wind-up roll and is. prevented from bulging upward adjacent thereto. If any bulge occurs it takes place further back. in the feed. of. the fabric. The operator then steps on a. treadle R20 to depress lever R5 to release the brake and tighten the belt R8 to start the rotation of the wind-up roll. After the wind-up roll has made a few rotations the operator unlatches a lever RZI, pivoted at. R23. The lever carries a. roll R22 so that, as the. roll rises due to the counterweights R24, it bears against. the fabric asit is being wound on the wind-up roll. The. operator raises lever RM to its uppermost position. to

remove the plate RI3 out of the way of thev fabric 50 as it is wound on. the wind-up roll.

In operation the strand wires A, after having .been straightened, are delivered to tubes A6 in which they are held from bending. A plurality, more than two, or set of stay wires. 3 are fed 6:; simultaneously into the machine across and above the tubes while the strand wires continue toadvance. A set of stay Wires are. fed every time the strand wires advance a distance equal to the length of av mesh of the Welded fabric multiplied by the number of stay wires in aset. The stay wires of a set are cut off into lengths slightly greater than the width of the fabric. Each stay wire is fed into a channel with an open bottom in a cross girt C22 in. which it is 7 held by gates D3 After the wires are fed in 9 and cut the gates are withdrawn and each stay wire is pushed down into a V-shaped opening one side D9 of which is'forced to move by the wire in order to allow the wire to pass down onto .the tubes and between the transverse rows of strand wires. As the strand wires and the chains continue to advance, each stay wire, before, it comes to the welding position, is forcedback by spring fingers F against a transverse aligned 'row of projections on the chains to position the stay wire accurately on the strand wires at intervals corresponding to the length of the mesh of the fabric. The advance of the strand Wires between the disc electrodes E and El rotates the electrodes which are free to rotate. When a stay wire is carried into the nip of the electrodes, the welding current is on to form the weld as the upper electrode is pressed down with welding pressure against the lower electrode.

The welding current is out off after one to three cycles of a 60-cycle welding current. The welded fabric is advanced through the machine and the ends of the stay wires projecting beyond the outside strand wires are trimmed off. The fabric may be split and in such case the ends of the stay wires projecting beyond the strand wires at the cut edges are also trimmed. The welded fabric continues toadvance and, after a predetermined length of fabric has been welded, it is cut across and the cut fabric is guided to one of two wind-up rollers WI and W2. When the fabric is again out after another predetermined length has been welded, it is guided to the other wind-up roller so that the fabric is alternately wound into rolls of the same length. The entire operation of the machine is continuous and automatic except that the operator starts and stops the wind-up rolls and removes the rolls of welded fabric thereupon.

I claim:

1. In a machine for welding wire fabric, the combination of means to feed continuously a plurality of parallel strand wires in a horizontal plane, chains having projections thereon and travelling between and parallel to said strand wires in said plane, means to feed simultaneously a set of stay wires across and over the strand wires and the chains at spaced intervals, said intervals, in the lengths of the spaces from an outside stay Wire to the other stay wires of the set, being equal, regardless of order, to multiples of the number of simultaneously fed stay wires plus a number, without repetition thereof, from 1 to the number of stay wires so fed minus 1 inclusive, knives and means to operate said knives to cut the stay wires to equal lengths slightly greater than the width of the plurality of strand wires, gates to hold the stay wires above the chains, means to withdraw said gates, pushers to press the stay wires down between the projections on the chains when the gates are withdrawn, means to hold the stay wires down, latches to press the stay wires against aligned projections on the chains as the chains advance,

engagement with the strand wires, means to press yieldingly one member of a pair of electrodes against the other member of the pair, and means to pass welding currents through the electrodes and through the crossings of a stay wire with the strand wires, comprising electronic devices to start and stop the currents, to weld the stay wires in succession to the strand wires.

2. In a machine for welding wire fabric, the combination of means to feed continuously a plurality of parallel strand wires, chains having projections thereon and travelling between and parallel to said strand wires, means to feed a set of at least three stay wires across and over the strand wires and the chains at spaced intervals, knives to cut the stay wires to equal lengths corresponding to the width of the plurality of strand wires, gates to hold the stay wires above the chains, means to withdraw said gates, pushers to press the stay wires down between the projections on the chains when the gates are withdrawn, latches to press the stay wires against aligned projections on the chains, pairs of electrode discs freely rotatable by their engagement with the strand wires, means to press yieldingly one member of a pair of electrodes against the other member of the pair and means to pass welding currents through the electrodes and through the crossings of a stay wire with the strand wires to weld the stay wires in succession to the strand wires.

3. In a machine for welding wire fabric, the combination of means to feed continuously a plurality of parallel strand wires, chains having projections thereon and travelling between and parallel to said strand wires, means to feed a set of at least three stay wires across and over the strand wires and the chains at spaced intervals, knives to cut the stay wires to equal lengths corresponding to the width of the plurality of strand wires, gates to hold the stay wir'es above the chains, means to withdraw said gates, pushers to press the stay wires down between the projections on the chains when the gates are withdrawn, longitudinal bars and pivoted movable walls between the projections on the chains, said bars and walls forming the tops of spaces to enclose the stay wires, pairs of electrode discs, means to press yieldingly one member of a pair of electrodes against the other member of the pair and means to pass welding currents through the electrodes and through the crossings of a stay wire with the strand wires to weld the stay wires in succession to the strand wires.

4. In a machine for welding wire fabric, the combination of means to feed continuously a plurality of parallel strand wires. chains having projections thereon and travelling between and parallel to said strand wires, means to feed a set of at least three stay wires across and over the strand wires and the chains at spaced intervals, knives to cut the stay wires to equal lengths corresponding to the widths of the plurality of strand wires, pushers to press the stay wires down between aligned projections on the chains, latches to press the stay wires against said projections, pairs of electrode discs freely rotatable by their engagement with the strand wires, means to press yieldingly one member of a pair and means to pass welding currents through the electrodes and through the crossings of a stay wire with the strand wires to weld the stay wires in succession to the strand wires.

5. In a machine for welding wire fabric, the combination'of means to feed continuously a'plurality of parallel strand'wires, a plurality-of tubes through which the strand wires travel, :chains having projections thereon and travelling between and parallel to said tubes, means to feed in succession a set of stay 'WlFBS across and over the *tubes and the chains at spaced intervals,

knives to cut "the stay wires to :equal lengths corresponding to the width of the plurality f strand 'wires, gates to hold the stay wires above "the tubes and chains, means 'to withdraw said gates, pushers to press the stay wires down onto the tubes between "the projections on :the :chains when the gates are withdrawn, latches located beyond the ends of the tubes to press the stay wires against aligned projections on the chains, pairs of electrode discs freely rotatable by their engagement with the strand wires, means to press yieldingly one member of :a pair of electrodes against the other member of the pair and means to pass welding currents through the electrodes and through the crossings of *a stay Wine with the strand wires to weld the stay wires in succession to the strand wires.

'6. In a machine for welding wire fabric, the combination of means to feed continuously a plurality of parallel strand wires, chains having projections thereon and travelling between and parallel to said strand wires, means to feed a set of stay wires across and over the strand-wires and the chains at spaced interval-s, knives to cut the :stay wires to :equal lengths corresponding to the width of the plurality of strand Wires,

pushers to press the stay wire down between aligned projections on the chains, pairs of electrode discs freely rotatable by their engagement with the strand wires, means to press yieldingly one member of :a pair oi electrodes against the other member of the pair, means to pass welding currents through the electrodes and through the crossings :of a stay wire with the strand wires to weld the stay wires successively to the strand wires.

'7. A continuous wire-fabric welding machine comprising a plurality of continuous strand-wire feeders, a plurality :of parallel strand-wire tubes lying in a horizontal plane, stay-wire feeders, parallel stay-wire receiving members having channels above and across said tubes, stay-wire cutters between said channels and stay-wire feeders, gates below and adjacent to openings in the bottoms of said channels, stay-wire lowering devices above said gates, continuously trayelling stay-wire carrier-chains parallel to and I between said tubes, and a plurality of pairs of welding wheels beyond the ends of said tubes, each pair engaging .a strand wire.

'8. The process pf continuously making a welded wire fabric comprising continuously moving a plurality of parallel strand wires, equally spaced from one .another, lengthwise in a horizontal plane, successively placing sets of the end portions of parallel stay wires a horizontal plane above and across said strand wires, each of said sets containing the same number of at least three stay Wires, successively severing each set of said end portions from the remainder of said stay wires into lengths equal to one another and slightly greater than the width of said plurality of strand wires, successively lowering each of said sets of stay wires. continuously carrying said stay wires laterally in the direction of the movement of said strand wires into positions equally spaced from one another ill $12 upon said strand wires, and successively welding each of said stay wires to said strand wires at the crossings thereof.

9. The process of continuously making .a welded "wire rabnic comprising continuously moving a plurality of parallel strand wires, equally spaced from one another, lengthwise in a horizontal plane, successively placing sets -.'of the end portions of parallel stay wires in 'a horizontal plane above and across said strand wires, reach of said sets containing the .same number of at least three said .stay wires, spaced .trom each other so that the distances in mesh lengths from the first stay wire to succeeding stay wires a set are equal to multiples of :the number of stay wires in a .set plus any number, witlmcut -repetition thereof, from -l through'the number of stay wires "in :a set minus 1, successively sev- .ering the :end portions of the wires of each set from :the :-remainder of said stay wires lengths equal to one andther and slightly greater than the width cf said plurality of strand wires, zcontimiously carrying said severed stay wires laterally in the :direction .of the movement of strand wires into positions equally spaced from one another upon .said strand wires, and successively welding each .of said stay wires to :said strand wires at the (crossing thereof.

1'0. In a :machine for welding wire fabric of :a predetermined mesh length, the combination of means to teed continuously a tphn'a-lity of parallel strand wires, and means, comprising a set :iO-f at least three mechanisms spaced apart at intervals greater than said smesh length, to deed a set of :at :least three stay wires across and over the strand wires at said intervals, said intervals, .in the lengths of the .spaces from an outside stay wire to the other stay wires, being equal, regardless of order, to multiples :of the number of stay wires of the set plus a number, without repetition thereof, from 1 to the number of stay wires of the set minus 1 inclusive.

1.1. In a machine for welding a wire fabric, the combination of means to draw the welded fabric and a plurality of strand wires continuously through the machine under tension, means to .feedasetof stay wires across and onto the strand wires a-t-spaced intervals, welding means to weld the stay wires to thezstrand wires, grooved wheels located in advance of the welding means :around which wheels the strand wires pass at least once and means to drive said grooved wheels at a peripheral speed faster than the feed of the welded fabric and the strand wires.

.12. In a machine for welding a wire fabric, the combination of means to draw the welded ,fabric and a plurality of strand wires continuously through the machine under tension in a horizontal lane, means to ,feed a set of stay wires across the strand wires at spaced intervals, longitudinal bars to support the stay wires, bars extending longitudinally within said spaced intenvals and adapted to rest on the stay wires, said bars being held from movement lengthwise and I sidewise and being free to .move vertically and welding means to weld the stay Wires to the strand wires, whereby the stay wires in advance of the Welding .means are prevented from turning and are held in place lengthwise for properpres- .entation to the welding means.

13. In a machine for Weldinga wire fabric, the combination of means to draw the welded fabric and .a plurality of strand wires continuously through-the machine, means to feed a set of stay wires across the strand wires at intervals, weld- 2,487,892 13 14 ing means to weld the stay wires to the strand REFERENCES CITED wires, trimming means to trim the protruding ends of the stay wires on each side of the fabric g s gg gg gg are of record m the flush with the strand wires, said means comprisp ing a rotary support provided with projections UNITED STATES PATENTS adapted to enter the mesh spaces of the welded Number Name Date fabric and to be rotated by the stay wires and a superimposed rotary cutting disc cooperating $3 25 a] gz g z with the P trim the Pmtmding 2343'047 Doyle et iii III. Feb 29 1944 ends the stay 2,368,047 Southwick Jan. 23, 1945 WILLIAM S. SOUTHWICK. 

